Addressing an interaction on 'challenges to pro-people journalism' organized to mark the 12th Memorial Day of journalist Krishna Sen by the Revolutionary Journalists' Association in the Capital on Monday, he said there was a need of unity among the revolutionary communists based on a new ideology.

Unity however is possible only with sacrifice from all the sides concerned, he said urging all to move ahead by learning from the past mistakes and shortcomings.

Also speaking at the programme, CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidya said unity process should move ahead not based on emotions but on need."Unity is possible only on the basis of ideology and principle", he said.

Likewise, UCPN (Maoist) leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai said the tendency to make a negative publicity out of an ideological debate within a communist party was wrong.

As the people's expectation and the need of the nation also call for a unity among the communist forces, we should also set aside our personal interests for the same, he added.

On the occasion, the leaders urged the journalists to institutionalize the voices of the voiceless and remain active in the campaign of social change. At the programme, editor of Janastha Weekly Kishore Shrestha was honoured with this year's Krishna Sen Memorial Journalism Prize.

The prize is founded by the Association in memory of Journalist Krishna Sen who was murdered at the hands of the then State side during the armed conflict.

The prize carries a purse of Rs. 10,000. Editor Shrestha however handed over the prize amount to be deposited in the Journalist Welfare Fund.

Also speaking at the programme, President of Federation of Nepali Journalists Dr Mahendra Bista, Press Chautari Nepal Chairman Rajendra Aryal, Nepal Press Union Bagmati Chair Hom Prasad Lamsal and other speakers called for immediate action against those involved in the murder of journalist Sen and towards resolving the problems facing the working journalists.